Skin Deep
by hunter-strain13
Summary: {EDITED: Changed some small details, like the OC's name.} Her new life was far from normal, but when she is saved by an infamous rogue, things become turned upside as she becomes trapped in a sickening spiral of crime, murder and insanity.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any of his related characters. DC comics has that honor. I claim rights only to my original character and her plot. **

**Chickadees! Darlings! Welcome to my first Batman fic. I have been wanting to write this for an awfully long time and I finally worked up the courage to do so. This fic will be centering around the rogues gallery more that Batman himself, but he will make more than one appearance. Be gentle if you review please!**

**Summary: Her new life was far from normal, but when she unwittingly helps an infamous rogue, things become turned upside as she becomes trapped in a sickening spiral of crime, murder and insanity. **

**Warning: Rated T for language, a racial slur and violence. (May go up in the future)**

* * *

_Chapter One- Running in the Veins_

It was raining. Why did it have to be raining? She grumbled to herself, feeling put out and downright soggy in her bones. The storm had not been unexpected, not to anyone with a television. The weather man, with his glistening white teeth and orange spray tan, was saying for days that the weather was going to turn sour. 'Expect rain and thunder storms for the next week' he said, smiling as he did so. She had seen the news. She even bought herself a nice new coat just for this weather. However, the assisted clairvoyance did nothing to prevent her from avoiding the storm and nothing to improve her mood

Poor Jenna Hendrick, a tall but rotund girl of 27 years, stood on the sidewalk with an umbrella held steadfastly over her head. She was bundled in her coat, a slick heavy thing made of soft green felt and cream colored wool in the hood. The woman bunched the jacket around herself, shrugging her shoulders to bring the hood as close to her face as she could. This weather was miserable and poorly timed, if you asked her opinion. Her breath fogged out in front of her as she glanced down the street. It was empty, this particular road. Not a soul traversed in either car or on foot in this place. It was just Holly, standing alone with her green coat and a sour look on her face. No one in their right mind wanted to be out in this deluge and she was one of them. So, why, might you ask, was she out in the freezing and driving rain? For her job, of course.

Jenna cursed as a particularly loud clap of thunder rolled through the city.

"It just had to be fucking rain." She growled, frowning even deeper, "Not a nice sunny day or clear moonlit night. Oh no...of course not. Not for me."

A quick flash of lightning silenced her momentarily before she continued her rant. She would have to remember to ask for a bonus for standing out in the rain. 'I could catch a cold.' She thought. It had been nearly an hour that she had been patiently rocking from foot to foot out there and still no sign of her arranged meeting partner. Her boss had told her at midnight, or 12 o' clock sharp, to be standing on the corner of Mayes and 8th to retrieve the package. Jenna, being a good employee, was there at 11:45.

The partner was late. Very late. It miffed the woman to no end. She would probably get chewed out for being late herself. She began running excuses through her head, thinking to save herself from having said brain bucket carved off of her body. She had gotten to lie number thirteen when a pair of headlights rounded the corner. They flashed once then twice, fast, and the car that was attached to the lights pulled up to the sidewalk where she stood. It was a nice car, brand new and a gleaming ash gray. Jenna could make out the tint in the windows despite the darkness of the evening. The young woman put on her best business face, half closing her eyes and straightening her plump lips into a line. She tucked a strand of curly black hair behind her ear as the back window rolled down, slowly. She instantly made out the vivid shade of red the man's hair was; it was almost garish in the dimness of the deep night. Her eyes scrolled over his face before making eye contact. He had very chiseled features: sharp angled cheekbones, pointed chin and deep set eyes which were the same color as his car. His eyebrows were thinly plucked and his beard was trimmed ever so neatly. Holly imagined that his finger nails must be immaculate.

"I expected you a little earlier." She said, sounding barely cross in her tone. The man turned his head to her slightly and smiled. It was not an expression that conveyed humor.

"My apologies, pet. We were...delayed by an unforeseen circumstance. But, we are here now and more than willing to compensate you for the loss of time." The woman smiled back and nodded.

"My organization would appreciate that gesture." Was all she said. The thin man bobbed his head back and lifted a silver briefcase from his side. It was small, not even the size of a mailbox. Jenna grabbed it with her free hand and nearly yelped at the coldness of the handle.

The woman began to speak, to thank him for his business, when another briefcase followed. Mouthing an 'Oh', the shocked woman moved to grab the other one. This case one was much bigger, twice the size of the first, but just as cold. Not wanting to abandon her umbrella and risk getting drenched, she placed the smaller one on top of the second, bigger one. Now the man in the car thanked Jenna for her patience and explained that the second case was for being late.

"Your boss should enjoy that one. Good evening, pet." And with that, they drove off.

The woman started up her cursing once more, shuffling the cases to try and balance them as she walked. She turned from the street and briskly walked back through the alleyway she had originally emerged from. The biting cold of the briefcases made her hands ache but she tried her best to ignore it. She was already very late and she didn't want to get an ear full from her superiors. At the end of the alley, where it connected with a side street, another car sat waiting. This one was black, an SUV, and it sat parked with its engine idling. Jenna tipped her head towards it and the lights flared to life. They were blinding and she squinted against it. The driver side door opened and a behemoth of a man stood out of the vehicle. He jogged towards the woman, not minding that his nicely pressed, extra large suit and short dark hair were getting soaked. He took the umbrella from her hands and the smaller of the baggage, escorting her to the car. Jenna smiled at him as he opened the passenger side rear door for her and she climbed in. The man ran to the driver's side and hopped in himself.

Jenna nearly cried from the glorious warmth of the car. The man had left the heater on, the saint. She rubbed her hands together and ran her nearly numb hands through her hair. The thick loose curls were frizzy and wild and her ministrations did little to help them.

"Did everything go alright, Ms. Hendrick?" The man asked, handing the case over his shoulder to her. She took it and laid it beside her on the seat.

"Yes, Lucas. Despite them being _very _late, they gave us a little extra to make up for it. I hate the rain." She complained, chuckling. The driver smiled and began driving out of the alley, slowly bringing them into the street.

"I would too, if I had ta stand out there in it for nearly an hour." His accent was thickly Bronx and made his sentences clipped. Jenna stuck her tongue out at him playfully and brought the first of the trade cases into her lap. The cold of it seeped instantly into her thighs and she nearly threw it off of her. Refraining, the woman clicked it open to gaze at the contents. A small gauge on the side read 15 degrees Fahrenheit and a timer was next to that which read 14:18 in green numbers. The package, however, was an organ, a pristine- looking heart that sat nestled in packs of dry ice. Jenna Hendrick stood in the rain for nearly an hour for this.

Jenna Hendrick, 27 years old, was an organ trafficker.

* * *

Jenna didn't always work such a strange job. Once, she dreamed of being a veterinarian for horses and traveling the world to take photos of rare animals for some magazine. She was simple, once, and honest to the core. Looking at her then and now, one wouldn't even have recognized her.

The Hendrick family was small, consisting of two mothers and their three children. The Hendricks, Mary and Merle, were a happy domestic couple who adopted their children before they were legally allowed to marry. Jenna was the youngest of these kids, being only a month younger than the middle child, Sarah, and 10 years junior to the eldest, who was the only boy. They lived in a two story house twenty miles outside of Gotham city, their rural setting making for a perfect place to raise the kids. Mary was a dentist in the city and had to commute often, while Merle was a nurse at a small local clinic. This left the eldest child, Derek, to watch over the girls while they were at work.

Jenna was an easy child, prone to losing herself in books for long periods of time or running through the fields pretending she was a wild horse. Derek would call her in for lunch and she would fly in, eat twice as much as most kids her age, then run back out with a thick book to read. Often, her parents would come home and find her in an old elm, eating an orange and reading anything from fantasy and science fiction to conspiracy theory pamphlets and manuals.

Jenna's school days were much like any other child's: tedious and dreaded. Getting her to class wasn't hard, since she made friends easily. It was getting her to do the work she was supposed to do. She daydreamed more than she studied and it landed her in hot water more than once. Mary and Merle paid for tutor after tutor to help their daughter's grades, but it barely made a difference. In high school, Holly took two different language classes and two separate instruments, just to give her something interesting to keep her in school. By the time she graduated, Jenna was nearly fluent in Spanish and Samoan and could play the piano and cello with ease.

When Jenna had finally grown out of her childish ways and decided that school wasn't so bad, she wanted to become a vet for large farm animals. Her mothers were thrilled and drove her into the city of Gotham to look at a college she was interested in. The Gotham Academy of Arts and Science had the best veterinary program around and it didn't take long for Jenna to be accepted, despite her grades in earlier schooling. She moved out of her home and into an apartment ten minutes from the campus. It was run down and small, but it worked for her. The first two years of classes went wonderfully for Jenna. She even made a few friends, though she hardly spent time with them. Mostly, she studied and stayed at home, cooking and caring for her fish tank. Life was decent and she was content.

Then, things took a turn for the worse.

One afternoon in November, Jenna stepped into her bank to make a deposit. This was normal, seeing as it was pay day for most people. The young woman was smiling ear to ear, thinking of what she was going to spend her money on. Food, most likely, and maybe a new music player since the buttons on her old one were breaking. The day was sunny, a crisp chill in the air, and the bank was nice and toasty. The guard nodded to her as she entered and she nearly skipped into the line. Her favorite teller worked today, an older Hispanic woman named Esperanza who sported platinum blonde hair, huge gold hoop earrings and seemed to perpetually smile.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Hendrick. How are you today?" Esperanza asked, her accent thick. Jenna waved her check between them and grinned even wider.

"I am fantastic now. Can you slip this bad boy into my checking, please?"

"Absolutely. One moment." A short 30 seconds later and Jenna had a few hundred dollars more to her name. She thanked the teller and turned to leave when suddenly a loud sharp sound echoed through the bank. Everyone jolted and a few screamed. Jenna covered her ears and glanced to the entrance. What she saw was the last thing that anyone wanted to see in a bank.

Robbers.

There were 5 of them, tall muscular men with masks like monkey faces over their own and large automatic guns. Two of them had duffel bags thrown over their shoulders. The supposed leader, a man in a suit, slammed the butt of his gun into the guard's face, knocking the heavy set man out cold. His mask he wore was purple and frowning.

"Alright, people. Get on the fucking ground and no one gets hurt. Understand?" Some patrons actually nodded and began to kneel. Others were too shocked and Jenna was one of them. Another gunshot rang out, this one coming from a man to the left, his mask red faced and angry. He stepped close to where Jenna was and screamed at the crowd.

"He told you to get on the ground! So get on the fucking ground!" He shoved an older man to his knees by his collar and snarled, animal-like. Jenna knelt, shaking and praying. 'Gods, please don't kill anyone.'

Two of the robbers moved to the tellers and demanded the codes to the safe. Two of the five stuttered, explaining desperately that they didn't know the codes. This earned them a swift fist in the nose. One of the employees, an attractive young Chinese man, blurted that only the manager knew the codes.

"The manager isn't here today. I swear...none of us know it." His voice cracked and he swallowed. The closest robber to him, the one with the red mask, bent to glance at the terrified man's name tag.

"Thomas?" The clerk nodded vigorously. This made the masked man laugh. "The fuck kinda name is Thomas for a chink?" His mates all laughed, excluding the frowning leader, and then he turned on the Chinese man. He fired one shot, clean, right into his forehead. Blood and bone sprayed from the wound and Thomas dropped like a stone.

Everyone screamed again.

The leader of the robbers stormed forward and slammed the shorter man into the teller's desk. His posture was all anger.

"What the fuck, Shanks!? I said no one gets hurt. We don't FUCKING kill unless we are threatened. He might have had the codes if we just pressed him hard enough, dipshit." With that he slapped 'Shanks' on the back of the head and growled at him to get into position. Jenna wrapped her arms around her torso and tried to make herself as small as possible. The frowning mask looked at her, briefly, before turning back to his men.

"Listen up! Without those codes, this just got a lot harder." He turned slightly and pointed in the direction of the vault. "Domino can hack it, but it's gonna take time. You lot stay out here, keep the pigs from gettin' in and DON'T KILL ANYONE. Got it?" The crew gave the affirmative, the one called Shank dropping his head and scuffing his boot.

The patrons, including Jenna, were herded into a corner and the tellers were brought out to sit with them. They left Thomas' body to bleed out behind the counter. Frowning Face and Domino, wearing a yellow neutral faced mask, left with guns in hand and a single duffel bag. The other three men positioned themselves by the door and the hostages, utterly silent. The red mask, Shanks, stood nearest to her and cursed under his breath. He did not seem pleased with his scolding. Jenna heard someone behind her begin to cry; it sounded like a woman. She wished to turn around, to comfort the person, but she feared the guns more. Jenna found herself closing her eyes and trying to count the seconds until they would be saved.

It was the longest hour of her life.

* * *

**Cliffy? This early? Oh yeesssss! Don't hate me, por favor! I adore you, my chickadees. Let me know what you think so far. Review and feed the author. More coming soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back! If you are reading this, then you want more! Or, you are just curious or bored. Either way, I'm so happy to have you back! You already know that I don't own Batman so I'm not going to continue to disclaim that. Anyways, onwards chickadees! ~cheep cheep~**

_**UPDATE: If you did not see on the edited summary, the OC's name has been changed from Holly Hara to Jenna Hendrick. Sorry for the confusion!**_

**Warning: Rated T for language, violence and some scary images.**

* * *

_Chapter Two- Tough Skin_

* * *

"A heart AND two kidneys, all clean from first glance? I hate to sound immature, but what a score!" Jenna exclaimed, gently punching her companion in the arm. Lucas chuckled with her and pulled into a somewhat secluded parking garage. The pair had driven for almost ten minutes and finally came up to a large and seemingly abandoned building. The bricks that made up the walls were crumbling, so most people ignored it completely. Only those who knew what lay within would even bother with this place.

Lucas turned the key, killing the engine, and reached over his shoulder to grab the larger briefcase, the one containing the kidneys. Jenna brought the other one out with her as she opened her door and slipped out. Once her feet were on the ground, she adjusted her black pencil skirt and slipped the same rebellious strand of curl behind her ear. With a deep breath, the woman simultaneously relished the dryness of the covered parking and the smell of the rain. A low rumble of thunder could be heard, but it sounded far off now. Lucas approached her, closing his own door and clearing his throat.

"Ma'am? He's waitin'." Jenna took one more lungful of air before turning and nodding.

"Alright. Let's go."

The two walked through the lot to a small red door, tiny enough that Lucas had to duck under it, and emerged into a dimly lit hallway. It was all slate gray concrete, with pink fluorescent lights in metal lamps and the ability to echo forever. Lucas shut the door behind himself and moved to his charge's side; she was briskly walking away before he even managed to enter the doorway.

Jenna was slipping off her green coat, juggling the organ case from hand to hand to do so. As they walked, another man came out from a door on their left. Jenna handed him her coat and the case, which he took effortlessly, and she began straightening out her black business jacket. The article of clothing was more of a heavy shirt over her simple dark blue blouse and it hugged her waistline nicely. Jenna was thick of build, with well muscled thighs and arms and an ample rump. Her belly was a little pudgier than most women would like on themselves, but it didn't bother her. She was too much of a 'foodie', as she called herself, and she had learned to accept what came with that, even love it.

The three of them traversed the long hallway, turning into one door that was almost at the very end. It was not labeled, but a small sliver window rested at eye height. She rapped once, hard, and waited. After a short second, an icy blue eye and a freckled face appeared in the window.

"What?" The person growled. She held up the case and smiled coldly.

"It's me." The door swung open and the two men followed her in. The room they came into was extravagant in comparison to the hallway. The walls were the same bland gray, but there was a sprawling red and gold carpet on the floor. Rich brown wooden chairs were on the perimeter and a matching desk sat directly in the middle. Jenna approached the desk with little hesitance, leaving her companions at the door. The woman swallowed once and bowed her head so that her gaze met her shoes.

"Good evening, sir." She greeted, her voice wavering. "I'm sorry I'm so late. The meeting was..."

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Jenna." The deep voice came from the person sitting straight and proper behind the desk.

The man, a one Garth Townsend, was long in the leg and thin in the chest and shoulder; his suit was fitted snugly so it made him look rather scarecrow-like. His face was solemn and lined at the mouth, indicating stress or worry. With his silvering hair and sharp blue eyes, he seemed all the more cold. Jenna stammered into silence at his words and bit her lip.

"Give me the package. Don't dawdle." She did as he asked, handing him the first case, the original. The man snapped it open and squinted into it. After a long moment, he smirked and beckoned a man over from the side, to whom he handed the case. Jenna let go of the breath she didn't realize she was holding and she turned to Lucas.

"I need the other one."

"Other one?" Came the seated man. "I only sent you out for one case."

"It was a gift, from your partner. He said it was too make up for being so late." Garth quirked an eye brow up into his hairline, the smirk becoming a grin now. Jenna blushed and handed him the second of the two packages, hoping he was pleased. With a click, the second case was open. Holly's boss peered into the case for what seemed minutes before shutting it too and handing it off.

"Well done, kiddo. You really did a good deal for me and for that, you deserve a reward." Garth snapped his fingers and held out a hand, palm up. A woman this time, with blonde hair pulled into a bun, walked to Garth's side, holding a small red envelope. The man handed it to his confused but grateful employee and dismissed her.

"Shall I accompany the organs, Mr. Townsend?"

"Yes, Jenna. Just for a once over then you can head home. Also, will you check in on my brother? I haven't seen him yet today."

"Yes, sir." Jenna bowed at the waist and beckoned to Lucas, who resumed his place at her side. They followed the blonde assistant who had taken up the briefcases and she led them out of the room and down the hallway to another door, this one opening into a nearly freezing and empty space. Four large refrigerators and a long cabinet were lined against the far wall and there was an entire sterile silver station in the middle of the floor. The assistant laid the organ cases on a small medical table, spared Jenna a single glance and then left, presumably to return to their mutual boss.

The woman sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Long night, eh?" Lucas said quietly, stepping forward. Jenna laughed mirthlessly and began unbuttoning her black business coat. Handing it to her guard, she stepped to the cabinet and reached inside. She pulled the blue latex gloves and, moving carefully, came back to the table where the cases sat waiting. She took the heart first, turning it this way and that, noting the thickness of the veins and arteries. Jenna weighed it on a scale near to her left shoulder and recorded all the information on a clipboard. She tested the kidneys next and marveled at their color.

"Rich and healthy, just like me." She joked with Lucas as she stored the organs in the second of the freezers. The man shook his head and remained quiet. After a few more notes on organ types and compatibility, she laid the clipboard on the table, threw the gloves and took her jacket back from Lucas. They left once more, this time to remove themselves from the premises. Jenna's new green coat was folded neatly waiting for her on her way out. She nabbed the item and held it to her chest.

"It is a nice color on you." Her large companion commented. The smaller woman agreed.

Once in the vehicle, the pair traveled down about seven blocks to a tall brick apartment complex; it wasn't too shabby and had all its windows intact. Jenna left Lucas in the car, bidding him to wait, and wound her way up the stairs (there was no elevator) to the fourth floor. She was immediately hit with the overwhelming, but lovely smell of lavender and sage. Her nose tickled and she sneezed. The sound made the door directly to her right fly open to reveal a white haired, busty old woman. She wore a floral print gown and had some type of stick in her hand. Jenna waved timidly at her.

"I have a cure for that sneeze, dear. Just a few drops of lemongrass and a hint of ambergris will fix that right up."

"She is alright, Ms. Day Star. Thank you, though." Jenna turned and smiled at the speaker.

He was young, maybe 5 years older than Jenna herself, but acted like he had lived for centuries. He smiled, showing his slightly crooked teeth, and stepped into the hallway.

"Hey, Jen." He said, grinning wider.

"Hey yourself, Dom." She waved at the old woman as she passed her, though she had taken to burning a small bunch of sage in the hallway and didn't notice. She stepped into the young man's apartment and he politely closed the door behind her.

"I'm assuming my brother sent you?" The young man asked, running his fingers through his messy blonde hair.

"Of course he did. He worries about you. I do too, ever since that first time."

* * *

The sound was so abrupt and so sudden that Jenna flinched where she sat. The man beside her made a sound much like a kitten and shrunk back into the group. The criminal closest to her, the red masked Shanks, glanced at his mates and then back to the vault room door.

"Hunt...? Hunter?! Everything okay?" He called out, voice sounding nervous. Utter quiet met his question. The man posted at the door, green mask stuck in a crying face, shifted from foot to foot.

"What do we do?" He asked. Shanks hissed at him to shut up.

"Lemme think, Grave." Just then, a figure burst through the door they were all staring at. It was Frowning Face. He walked so quickly that he was almost jogging, his gun held weakly in one hand and pointed at the ground. Shanks flinched and backed up a step. "H-hey man. You oka-..."

"It's Domino." Was the reply. The leader did not stop walking as he came right up to the huddled mass of people. He brought his gun up and pointed it straight at them.

"Everyone calm the **FUCK** down. I need you all to be straight fucking honest with me." Every person cowered even more. "Is anyone here a doctor? Tell me and I won't plug the next person who pisses me off in the ear."

No one answered. No one was a doctor, from what Jenna assumed. She had little medical training and nowhere near good enough for humans. So she stayed quiet. 'Hunter' seemed impatient, as he began pacing in front of them.

"None of you pussies? Not a single one? Oh come on, now. Surely that can't be right." He spouted sarcastically, waving his gun in their faces. Then, someone spoke up from the back. And what she said sent chills down Jenna's spine.

"She does."

They all turned to look. It was Esperanza, kneeling and pointing directly at Jenna. The young woman's jaw dropped open. 'What? What does she think she is doing?' Jenna thought frantically. The frowning faced leader looked right at her, seeming to glare right through her.

"You." He stepped forward and grabbed her by the elbow. "Come here." Jenna struggled in his grasp, but he was too strong. Hauling her to her feet, he jostled her so roughly that she nearly lost her footing. "Stop fighting me!"

"Let me go! I don't have any training. She is **lying**!" Holly begged and screamed. The man stopped for just a moment, glancing back to the teller. Esperanza shook her head.

"She does. She is in school for it."

"For veterinary medicine! Not human! Esperanza, why are you doing this?" She turned to the man, "Please, sir, I can't help you." A moment ticked by.

"Vet is good enough." Hunter pulled her along, yelling orders to his men. "Stay and don't let anyone move."

"NO!"

The robber brought a nearly sobbing Jenna into the vault room. It was brightly lit and one of the lights flickered on and off spasmodically. There were hundreds of postal boxes in the walls, but Jenna knew that this was not why she was brought here. On the floor, just by the large vault door, was Domino; his yellow mask was still over his face. The woman froze, staring at him. The man's body, covered in a blue motorcycle jacket and jeans, was convulsing wildly on the floor. His hands clenched and relaxed and his legs jerked like dying eels. He made odd choking sounds and didn't seem inclined to stop.

It was a seizure, she realized.

Jenna was shoved forward, a gun in her back.

"Help him." Hunter said, sounding tense but not aggressive. The woman bit her lip and half looked at the robber.

"I-I can't. I don't have the training for this. I am in vet school and not even full-fledged veterinary! Just tech! I don't have the ability to help him." The man was quiet for a long while. Domino continued to thrash. Jenna stared at the masked man, looking for a reaction and finding none. When he did speak, he sounded distressed.

"He'll die."

"But I..."

"Do something... _**please**._" The plea was a mere grating of his voice. The woman sighed and placed her hands over her face. She could still hear the light rustling of clothing as the young man on the floor continued to shake and seize on the floor. With a deep inhale, Jenna steadied her nerves and cleared her throat.

"Ok."

Internally fighting with herself for not only helping a criminal but doing so with the lack of necessary skill, she set to it. She knelt beside the man, grabbing a hold of his flailing arm by the wrist. Feeling his pulse, Jenna tried to remember anything she could about seizures. For animals, one would could not do much until the animal ceased its thrashing. Hold the head and body down to prevent injury and wait it out. After the seizure ran its course, the practitioner would then check the vitals and attempt to arouse the animal gently so as not to frighten it. Jenna hoped it was the same for people.

The rapid and irregular pounding of blood in the man's wrist did nothing to calm her nerves and she moved to his head, scooting on her knees around his convulsing body. The choking sounds had escalated into gags and his hands were know locked into a shape similar to an animal's claws. His head was tapping the linoleum tile, not hard but enough to cause a little smacking sound each time. Jenna flapped her hands once in the air before slipping them under his head. His hair was sticky with what she hoped wasn't blood and she nearly tangled her fingers in it, just to keep them from shaking. 'Stop, stop, stop!' She pleaded in her mind, feeling nauseous at the way the man's torso moved. The man with the frowning mask, Hunter, was standing near to her shoulder, staring at the seizing form. Holly bit back an angry remark that found its way to her lips. 'You gonna help me, jackass?' She wanted to say. Instead, she turned to him, keeping her voice and face as neutral as possible.

"I need your help." The frowning mask turned to her and the shoulders tensed.

"Why?" It wasn't an angry question. More confused.

"I can't hold his whole body down. Can you... please... brace his shoulders and hips so he doesn't hurt himself?" For a moment, the criminal was silent. Jenna could barely make out his eyes behind the holes of the mask. They were stony. Then, with a resigned sigh, he nodded slowly. He knelt, laying his gun down by his knee to free up his hands. The terrified woman eyed the weapon with a smidgeon of renewed hope. 'Now, if I could just get that away from him.'

The man bent his body over the wriggling torso of his henchman and placed his hands on the hip and the shoulder, respectively. He leaned his weight down and the jerking lessened. Jenna sighed and removed her right hand from under his head in favor of placing it on his forehead. She glanced at his face and tried not to rise to panic once more when she noticed the saliva dripping from his lips. 'Be okay, already.' She thought to herself, swallowing and shutting her eyes. 'Don't die, otherwise your friend is going to shoot me.' She repeated this last part to herself and it became a mantra as she held on the convulsing man.

A minute ticked by, then two. Both conscious people remained where they were, still and watching the prone man with unblinking eyes. The shaking was almost over; there were only mere spasms and twitches now. Holly risked a moment to remove her hands from Domino's head and wiggle her fingers, loosening the cramped digits. The frowning mask watched her, the eyes behind guarded, and he too leaned back ever so slightly. Jenna noticed now that his arms were trembling. Much to her dismay, he once again held his gun to his chest. 'Damn...", she thought.

"So..." She said out loud, trying to fill the silence. "I didn't think bank robbers cared about one another." She trailed off at the end when she noticed his eyes narrow.

"What?" He growled. 'Fantastic, Jenna. Now you made him mad.'

"I just meant... no honor amongst thieves, ya know?" The mask tipped down to look at the face of the now still Domino.

"It's just that... he's..." The man moved quickly and stood, shaking his head. "None of your damn business. Just wake him up so we can finish this shit."

Jenna flinched and dropped her gaze to the face of the unconscious man. His brow was smooth and he seemed peaceful now that he was no longer thrashing. The woman leaned down and gently tapped the side of his face.

"Hey...?" She called out, just loud enough. There was no response. Not even the long lashes flickered at the sound. Once more she spoke, this time calling him by name. Still nothing.

"Why isn't he waking up?" Came the irritated voice of Hunter, who now stood directly over Jenna. The young woman glanced sharply at him and shrugged.

"I-I don't..."

"Just hurry!" The masked man insisted, bumping her shoulder with his weapon. Jenna hurriedly began shaking the man beneath her, speaking his name over and over again.

"Domino, get up. Please open your eyes." She begged now, slipping a hand down his throat to check his pulse. Once she found the steady, but soft beating, Jenna felt the tide of dread subside a bit. She swallowed and what just about to shake Domino once more when his eyes shot open.

They were piercing gray and unfocused, but they jumped to hers almost immediately. Jenna gasped and was silent for a long moment. Hunter knelt and touched the young man on the shoulder.

"Domino? Dom, can you hear me, man?" The frowning mask was pulled away to reveal a slightly weathered looking older man, with hair as black as jet and a piercing in his left eyebrow. The prone man honed in on him and he licked his lips before answering, his speech slurred.

"Hunt?"

"Yeah, man."

"The fuck happened?"

* * *

**What a doozy! That one really took it out of me, but it was fun. More backstory! :D Sorry about the name change, all! I hope it didn't screw everything up for you. Next chapter will have more Batsy in it and maybe even some Lawton ^w^ Hope to see you next time, chickadees!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome back, chickadees! I'm happy to have you here once more. I hope the last chapter did not disappoint and I deeply apologize for the wait on this next installment. My ten hour shifts at work really drain me and I have no time between the clinic and school to write. But, I finally did it! So, here you go!**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed the past chapters! Your reviews keep me going! Also, big shout out to my boyfriend for helping me with this chapter. Thanks, big blue!**

**Warning: Rated T for language and some gory detail**

* * *

"It isn't that big of a deal." The curly blonde hair was barely visible above the top of the refrigerator door. Jenna was leaning against the wall, smiling softly. She had left her coat on despite the warmth of the building; she was not planning on staying very long.

"It kinda is." The woman stated, wiggling her toes inside her boots. The man, Dominic, shut the fridge and shot her a playful glare as he made his way over to her. In his hands were two beers, the green bottles labeled with gold letters that read 'Sangre del Sol Séptimo' on the side. Jenna politely took the offered beverage and sipped at it lightly.

"So, I'm epileptic. Big deal. It shouldn't prevent me from doing my job."

"Which is what, may I ask?" The woman replied, smirking.

"Well, I handle the codes and blueprints and junk." Dominic grimaced briefly and took a hard swig of his beer. "I get it, Jen. My brain doesn't function after a seizure. If it isn't functioning, then I can't relay the codes or any of that." A nod from the woman. "If I take my pills, then it shouldn't matter, though. I can make it through one pickup or one escort without any problems."

Jenna stepped away from the wall, setting her bottle down on a side table and moving to the blonde's side. He watched her approach with hooded eyes, taking another long pull at the beer.

"I understand that, Dom. I do. Garth is the one who is worried. That seizure at the bank was scary for him. For me, too. Even Hunt was scared for you. It is not easy to forget those kinds of things." Jenna ruffled his hair and gestured at his arm. "Roll up your sleeve." Doing was he was asked, the man continued to lament.

"It isn't fair, Jen. I'm not an invalid. Garth doesn't understand what this sitting around is doing to me." The woman nodded, not speaking so that she could concentrate on the man's pulse. She was mouthing numbers to herself, fingers against his wrist.

"Can't you talk to him, Jenna?" Dominic asked, frowning. The woman let go of his wrist and reached for her drink once more. She drank slowly, shutting her eyes as she took a moment to relish the bitter taste of the hops. Once she finished, Jenna wiped her lips and met the gray eyes of her host.

"I can try. I can't guarantee that it will do any good."

"Please, Jenna."

"Alright, Dom. I will speak to him tomorrow." She promised. "Where are your meds?" The man pointed to an off white cabinet near to the kitchen. On the shelves, there was an array of knick-knacks; keys, a pair of dice, marbles, thimbles and a box of tissues were scattered on the shelving. Jenna spotted the orange medication bottle set aside from the rest of the junk and grabbed it. Eying the white sticker across the front, she wrote on her hand how much he needed and the name of the med: tiagabine. Popping the lid off, she counted how many pills the man had left. 'Only 5.' She thought before snapping the top shut and placing it back.

"You been taking it daily?" Jenna asked, stepping back towards the door. Dominic sighed loudly and nodded with exaggerated vigor.

"Yes, mother."

"Ha, ha, Dom. I'm just looking out for you. Been drinking enough water?"

"Yeah."

"Eating three meals?"

"Yup. Four, sometimes."

"Sleeping alright? Getting enough sun?"

"Yes to both. Will you just go?" At that point, the two were standing beside the door and the man had his hand on the doorknob. Jenna laughed, a silvery sound, and hugged her friend. They bid each other farewell and Jenna made her way back through the thickly scented hall to the stairs, which she took two at a time. Stepping out the door, she spotted her ride and proceeded to make her way to the side of the large black car. Jenna entered the passenger side, buckled in, and let Lucas drive her home.

* * *

The drive was comfortable and Jenna found herself dozing in her seat. By the time they reached her flat, the gray of the city had faded to an almost pure, inky black. The rain had let up and the stars were shining like gem stones in the carpet of the sky now that the clouds had drifted away. Lucas shook her awake, gently, and smiled at her as she rubbed her eyes. The woman thanked him sleepily and waved as he drove away, splashing through puddles of glistening rain water.

The criminal yawned again and fumbled in her pockets for her keys. The building behind her was large and well-lit; the large glass doors were illuminated with the rich glow of the grand lighting. Jenna drifted up the steps and through the doors, sighing in the more pleasant atmosphere. The hallway had a lovely carpet that was the rich green of tree tops and large paintings of men and women in random life poses and events. Stepping to her right, Jenna reached the base of a staircase, which was also carpeted. She cruised quickly up to the very top floor and whipped around the banister, spinning around it with one hand on the railing. The corridor that was laid out before her was just as lavish as the entryway of the apartments, with the same dark carpeting. There were fewer paintings to pass on the way to her doorway, which was directly at the end. The door was thick steel and was designed similarly to a barn door, as per her own request. The woman slipped her small golden key into the lock and twisted it. When she heard the _click, thunk_ of her lock, she rolled the door to the right and let herself in.

"Home, sweet home." Jenna said out loud, throwing her arms up above her head in a mock cheer.

The loft was large, even by Gotham's standards, with five bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, two bathrooms and a covered patio that overlooked Gotham's channel. The den area, which was the lowest part of the apartment, had two large couches and a flat screen television hanging from the wall. The cherry wood coffee table had a stack of magazines and a withering bouquet of poppies.

Jenna hung up her keys on a hook on the left of the door frame, shed her coat and kicked off her shoes. She closed the door, flicked on the lights and blinked as the rooms became bright. Rolling her shoulders, she walked into the kitchen area of the loft, planning to brew some tea and settle down for some late night couch surfing.

A few minutes passed and, with her steaming mug of honeyed chamomile, Jenna curled up on the couch, still in her business clothes. She flipped to a black and white movie, one in which a man and woman were embracing one another and confessing their love, and let her mind wander. By the time the movie ended, her tea was finished and she was nearly dozing where she sat. Jenna stretched, wiggling her toes, before standing. Abandoning her cup, she moseyed into her bedroom and withdrew a pair of gray leggings and a tank top to wear to bed. Wriggling into the bottoms, which were just a bit tight on her muscular legs, she stopped briefly as a soft rustling sound from the balcony caught her attention. When it did not sound again, she shrugged and tied the string to her shorts. Removing her bra and slipping the shirt over her head, Jenna wandered back to the den, peering cautiously out where the sound had originated from.

The city lights sparkled as she padded outside, breathing in the cool air that was still thick with the rain. The blaring of car horns and screeching of tires could be heard, but nothing else. No trace of the odd rustling she had heard before. 'Maybe it was my imagination.' She thought and, with another bob of her shoulders, turned to go back inside. The movement was cut short as she nearly ran into a large dark figure standing directly behind her, so close that it could have been her shadow. She yelped and stumbled backwards, eyes widening as she took in what she believed to be a demon.

The looming creature was clad in all black, from the horn-like protrusions on its head to the long flowing cape that trailed behind it. The eyes were hot coals in the shroud of its face and were blazing as if to brand her like cattle with its glare. She gasped, covering her mouth with one trembling hand.

"W-what..." She started, but just as the word left her lips the figure lunged for her. Its clawed hand reached out, grabbing her by the front of her shirt with enough force to make her lose her footing and cry out. She was dragged forward so that she was face to face with the horror. At the closer distance, Jenna could almost make out stubble on the slightly shallow cheeks.

"Who do you work for?" Came a voice from the cowl, and it was terrible and grating.

"What?" Jenna squeaked again, utterly terrified.

"I want names! Who employs you for the organ trafficking?" The claws dug into her skin, causing welts to raise there. Jenna barely had time to register the command before the figure walked her over to the wall and slammed her against it. Her head crack sharply on the bricks, making her dizzy. Wincing, the woman tried to blink the stars from her eyes.

"I don't…"

"How do they pick their victims?" It was a threat that the creature did not bother to veil. "Who are they?" The voice was growling so lowly now that it was as if it was from the depths of hell. Jenna was positively shaking.

"I don't know the bosses or the bodies." The hand tightened, twisted her clothes so that she was being lifted to her tiptoes. Panicky breaths shuddered from between her lips, which she licked nervously. "Honest! The bosses are faceless to me. I don't even deal with them, only their hired thugs." Another rough growl came from the black shape and the abyss of the face came close to her ear.

"You_** better**_ not be lying to me." It was nearly a whisper.

"I'm not! I'm just told to do the pick-ups! Nothing more. I'm just a delivery girl... p-please don't kill me." Jenna gulped noisily. She felt her feet settle back on the ground as the hand released the front of her clothes. Her legs nearly gave under her. The dark figure stepped back from her and removed a claw like contraption from somewhere in its cloak. Jenna flinched at the sight of it.

"Consider yourself lucky that I'm not taking you in tonight." With that, the demon extended its arm and shot the claw off into the dark. Within seconds, it was lifted away as if it flew on coal black wings.

Jenna stood for a full minute, staring up at the sky where the creature had taken off. She barely blinked. Her breath came in little gusts. 'Was that...'

"Batman?"

* * *

The bar was noisy, the chatter and laughter swirling around the room just like smoke from a cigarette. Glasses clinked and women giggled as Lucas swirled his hand in the air, signaling another round for himself and his friends. They all sat around a booth table, casually talking about their lives and their jobs.

"Hey, man! Did you see that crash on Siler? Total demo derby!" They all laughed raucously. Lucas wiped his eyes and glanced around for the waitress.

"Dinah was talking about going steady the other day. What do I say to that?"

"You say yes! Dude, she is a bombshell!" The waitress came over carrying a tray with five shots of some undoubtedly strong amber liquid and set them down in front of Lucas as well as his friends. One such friend, who had been staying relatively quiet throughout the night, picked up his glass in favor of holding it up in a silent toast. The body guard copied the motion and together they tossed them back, faces screwing up at the burn.

The moment the leftover tingle from the alcohol had passed, Lucas felt his phone buzzing in his coat pocket. He reached back, slipped the small black cellphone free and glanced at the number on the screen. It was blocked, meaning that it was either his employer or his primary, Jenna. Sighing, he answered the call, plugging his other ear with his pinky so he could hear.

"This is Lucas."

"Lucas! Luke, oh my God…Luke!" Came the voice on the other end. It was panicked, but discernibly female.

"Jenna?" Concern flooded through the large man now, sobering him immediately.

"Lucas, I… shit I can't… I need you!" He had never heard her sound so afraid in his time working for her. She had faced down crazed gunmen and terrorists without batting an eyelash, but whatever- or whoever- had gotten to her really shook her up. Her voice was wavering and he could hear her shallow breathing.

"Jenna, what's happened? Are you somewhere safe?" He asked, standing and stepping away from the table. His companions had gone still, watching him.

"Y-yes. I'm at home. But, I dunno how safe it is…"

"What happened?"

"I was attacked." She faltered at the end and he heard the choking sob. He cursed and slapped some pocket cash on the table for his drinks.

"Alright, I'm coming now. Are you hurt?"

"No, I don't think... just please hurry."

"Be there in 10."

Lucas apologized to his friends and began to leave, but was stopped by a hand on his elbow. He turned, eyes flashing dangerously, but he calmed when he met the eyes of his old friend.

"Everything alright?" The man asked, frowning. Lucas shook his head.

"My primary was attacked. I need to check on her." The other man nodded and released his grip on Lucas' shirt.

"Let me grab my coat."

"What?"

"I'm coming with you. I need to get out of here anyways." The larger man smiled thankfully and the two left together.

On the street, they flew through the late night traffic, weaving in and out and ignoring the angry honks of the other drivers. The lights flashed by and began to blur as Lucas laid on the gas pedal. Within seven minutes, they pulled up to the apartment building where Jenna lived. Lucas offered his friend one of his handguns, but the man turned it down as he flashed a pair of his own sitting at his waist. Once inside, the men raced up the stairs to the loft's styled door, eyes darting this way and that looking for trouble. When nothing appeared out of order, Lucas knocked once on the door.

"Jenna, it's me." A moment ticked by and Lucas' heart was in his throat from the worry. What if she was hurt or unconscious and couldn't answer the door. Just as he was about to knock again, the door slid open just a sliver. The curls and left eye of the woman appeared, stared for a moment, then the door opened enough for the two men to enter.

It was dark, save for a single lamp light. With a metallic thudding, the door closed behind them. Lucas turned to Jenna, his eyebrows pulled together.

"Are you-?" He couldn't finish as the woman flung herself at him, pressing herself into his stomach.

"Oh my God, it was terrible! I have never been so scared in my life. I just… thank you for coming!" The large man laid his hands on her shoulders, peeling her face away from his torso for a moment. He looked at her face, noticed the tear stains and the paled skin.

"Jenna, tell me what happened. Who attacked you?" The woman's lip was trembling as she answered.

"Batman." The bodyguard stared blankly at her, blinked once then twice before responding.

"Bat…man?" He asked, incredulously.

"Yes. Or… I think it was. It was a person with a black cape and these horn things and glowing eyes. He was so scary! He grabbed me and questioned me about Garth, but I didn't tell him anything. I was so terrified."

"Jenna." Lucas spoke sharply, cutting off her rambling. She let out a breath and shook her head.

"I feel so _**stupid**_ for calling you. I'm probably just being silly. I'm sorry. There is no such thing as-"

"Batman?" They turned to regard the man who had accompanied Lucas from the bar, who had been all but invisible until that moment. "As a matter of fact, there is."

The statement made Jenna's posture straighten and her eyes widen. She bit her lip, contemplating his words.

"How do you know?" The woman pondered out loud, not expecting a clear answer. Without looking at her, the man strode forward until he stood directly in front of her. He met her eyes and she was at once taken aback by the deep, almost black brown of his own orbs.

"I know because I've tangled with just such a man before. Black cape, a growl for a voice, eyes that burn. That's the Bat."

"There is no such thing as a Bat Man." Lucas countered, trying to reassure his ward. Jenna frowned and squinted at the man in front of her, who had not looked away.

"And, what kind of man, may I ask, is the kind that _can _'tangle' with a creature like that? Who are you?"

"I'm no one special, ma'am. Just had the misfortune of running into that thing, just like you. My name?" He took her hand in his own and brought it his mouth, brushing his lips across her knuckles in a kiss,

"It's Floyd Lawton."

* * *

**Whoa! All done with that one. Yay for some Deadshot cameo! I had some trouble with the Batsy scene, but I think it came out alright. Again, I'm so sorry that I have not updated in so long! I hope this makes up for it! Review if you liked it and hang tight for some more soon! I'm already writing it!**


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